Envelop moistener and sealer.



J. NORTHROP.

ENVELOP MOISTENER AND SEALER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 2, 1912.

Patented Jan. 28, 1913.

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UNITED STATES PATENT GFFIOE.

JONAS NORTI-IROP, OF HOPE-DALE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR To C. F. ROPER & COMPANY, OF HOPEEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, A. COPARTNERSHIP.

ENVELOP MOISTENER AND SEALER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J ONAS Nou'rrmor, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hopedale, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Envelop Moisteners and Sealers, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

The invention to be hereinafter described relates to envelop moisteners and sealers, and the aims and purposes thereof are to provide a simple, compact and convenient character of such device whereby the flap of an envelop may be readily and eiiiciently secured or sealed, all as will hereinafter -more fully appear from the following de scription and accompanying drawings of one form of means for carrying the invention into practical effect, it being understood that in its true scope the invention is defined by the claims.

In the drawings :-Figure 1 is a top plan View of an envelop moistener and sealer embodying the present invention; Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2 2, Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33, Fig. 1, showing the manner of operating the device; and Fig. 1 is an enlarged detail showing how the flap of the envelop passes over the moistener as the envelop is moved from the moistening plate onto the sealing plate.

The main supporting frame may be of appropriate character and, as shown, comprises a casing A, preferably formed with the base portion 1 from which rise the front and rear members 2 and 3 respectively, which are joined at the ends by appropriate transverse frame-piece 4, Figs. 2 and 3. In the form of the device illustrated, the front frame-piece 2 is shown as extending farther from the base 1 than the rear framepiece 3, thereby providing a convenient inclination t0 the sealer and moistener plates, as will hereinafter more fully appear, but it is to be understood that the invention is not circumscribed by this detail, but may be variously formed.

Rising from the base-piece 1, within the casing A are the two end standards 5, one at each end and between these standards and the front wall 2 of thecasing is provided a moistener tank 6. This moistener tank may be of any appropriate character,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 2, 1912.

Patented Jan. 28,1913.

Serial No. 712,862.

but, as shown it comprises a metal boxlike structure, Fig. 2, the rear wall 7 of which passes upward and is turned over toward the rear at S, furnishing an appropriate support for a suitable moistener 9, such as fabric, or the like, it being understood that,

the support 8 extends longitudinally between the standards 5. In order to clamp the moistener 9 onto the support 8 and hold it in proper position to discharge its moistening function, there is provided a cappiece 10 which may be secured to the support 8 in any appropriate manner, as for instance, by the screws 11, Fig. 3, the construction being such that the moistener 9 shall have its edge portion 12 which extends longitudinally within the casing A, appropriately sustained in position for applying the moistener to the flap of an envelop under the conditions to be hereinafter described. It will be obvious, of course, that the character of moistener may be varied and that other moistening devices than that illustrated may be employed if preferred, but the above construction provides a good, practical form of such device.

Hinged to the rear wall 3 of the casing A as at 13, is the sealer plate 14 which extends longitudinally of the casing A, see Fig. 1, and is normally maintained with its rounded edge 15 in raised position, substantially as indicated in Fig. 2. As one means for thus normally holding the sealer plate 14 in position as noted, a spring or springs 16 may be provided extending between the sealer plate and the base 1 of the case A, and such spring may be of the general coil type, as indicated or of any other suitable form, the characteristic of the device in this respect being that such spring shall maintain the sealer plate with its curved edge 15 normally in raised position, as indicated substantially in Fig. 2.

The edge 15 of the sealer plate is formed rounded in order to serve as a guide to direct the flap of the envelop downward into the casing A,'aswill hereinafter more fully appear, and the lower or foot portion 17 of the sealer plate may be turned upward as indicated, to form a stop. Upon the surface of the sealer plate a suitable pad 18, preferably a piece of blotting paper, may be provided, such pad or blotting paper, as indicated in Fig. 1 being appropriately secured t0 the plate upon the surface of the sealer plate as by flanges 19 and 20, and the end stop 21.

Resting upon the top of the front wall 2 of the casing A is the moistener plate 22 which may be provided with a downward turned edge 23, it being understood that the moistener plate, like the sealer plate, ex tends longitudinally of the casing A. The Width of the moistener plate is such that a space is left between the adjacent edges of the sealer plate and moistener plate, substantially as indicated in Fig. 2, and as hereinbefore stated, the edge 15 of the sealer plate being normally maintained in raised position with relation to the adjacent edge of the moistener plate.

Rigidly secured to the under side of the moistener plate 22 are the arms 24:, one being preferably used near each end of the moistener plate. These arms 24 thus rigidly secured to the moistener plate extend downward toward the sealer plate, preferably beneath the same, and are pivotally connected thereto at 25 by means of an appropriate lug 26 extending from the lower surface of the sealer plate.

From the construction thus far described, it will be apparent that the relation between the sealer plate and moistener plate is normally that substantially indicated by Fig. 2, that is, the rounded edge portion 15 of the sealer plate extends above the plane or top surface of the moistener plate. It will likewise be noted that the moistener plate rests loosely upon the top of the wall 2 of the case A as at 27, and has its lower portion connected to the sealer plate by the links or arms 24:, the construction being such that pressure exerted upon the surface of the moistener plate will cause the sealer plate to turn around its pivotal connection 13 with the casing A and bring its upper sur face into the same plane as that of the upper surface of the moistener plate. It will also be noted that since the moistener plate 22 is connected to the sealer plate in the manner stated, such moistener platemay be readily raised from its position on the top of the case A in order to have access to the interior of the case and that during such upward movement both the moistener plate and sealer plate will turn about the pivotal axis 13 of the latter.

It will be obvious to one skilled in the art that various changes may be made in-the details of the device without substantially departing from the real invention as defined by the claims, but as such invention is herein described it will be noted that if an envelpp have its flap extended or opened up and be laid upon the moistener plate with its flap extending toward the sealer plate, and, if at this time the envelop be moved bodily downward over the top of the moistener plate, that the flap 28 of the envelop will engage the curved lower portion of the edge 15 of the sealer plate and be deflected downward into the interior of the case A. If at this time pressure be applied to the surface of the moistener plate by the hand, as indi cated in Fig. 3, said moistener plate will be moved downward slightly, turning about its support 27 upon the front wall 2 of the case and by virtue of the link or arm connection 24- with the sealer plate, will also cause the sealer plate to turn about its fulcrum or pivotal support 13 to bring the top surface of the moistener and sealer plates into the same plane and to cause the edge 15 of the sealer plate to act upon the flap 28 of the envelop 29 and turn it toward the edge 12 of the moistener 9. Upon bodily movement of the envelop over the surface of the moistener plate across the opening between it and the sealer plate and onto the sealer plate, the flap 28 of the envelop will be caused to move as indicated in Fig. 4 so that its curved edge portion will meet the edge 12 of the moistener 9 and be appropriately supplied with moisture. It Will likewise be apparent that upon such bodily movement of the envelop, the moistened flap as it emerges from the opening between the moistener and sealer plates, will meet the body of the envelop and be effectively sealed thereto.

While the present invention has been exploited herein in connection with the spring 16 for holding the sealer plate in its nor.- mally raised position as indicated in F ig. 2 and for likewise sustaining the lower edge of the moistener plate in the related position shown, it will be clearly apparent that the same purpose will be subserved if other resilient means were employed, for thus holding the sealer and moistener plates in their related position as indicated in Fig. 2, the essentials in this regard being that the curved edge 15 of the sealer plate and the lower edge portion of the moistener plate shall be normally maintained with the edge 15 of the sealer plate somewhat above the lower edge of the moistener plate, so that upon bodily movement of the envelop over the moistener plate toward the sealer plate the flap 28 of the envelop will automatically pass into the opening between the edges of the sealer plate and moistener plate without special attention on the part of the operator, and that upon pressure being applied to the moistener plate during this downward movement of the envelop, the moistener plate and the sealer plate be appropriately brought into a common plane substantially as indicated in Fig. 3, so that upon further movement of the envelop the flap 28 thereof will be appropriately moistened and sealed substantially as hereinbefore indicated.

What is claimed is 1. In an envelop moistener and sealer,

the combination of a frame or case, a moisture supplying device associated therewith, a depressible moistener plate, a yielding sealer plate connected to the frame or case and sustained with its free edge normally above the adjacent edge of the moistener plate, and connections between said plates to cause depression of the moistener plate to depress the sealer plate.

2. In an envelop moistener and sealer, the combination of a frame or case, a moisture supplying device associated therewith, a depressible moistener plate, a yielding sealer plate connected to the frame or case with its edge normally above the adjacent edge of the moistener plate, and arms connecting said plates to cause the sealer plate to be depressed when the moistener plate is depressed.

3. In an envelop moistener and sealer, the combination of a supporting frame, a moistener plate and a sealer plate said plates being depressible and having their adjacent edges separated, means for sustaining the edge of the sealer plate above the adjacent edge of the moistener plate, and means connected to the sealer plate for supporting the adjacent edge of the moistener plate.

4. In an envelop moistener and sealer, the combination of a supporting frame, a moistener plate and a sealer plate said plates being depressible and having their adjacent edges separated, means for sustaining the edge of the sealer plate above the adjacent edge of the moistener plate, means connected to the sealer plate for supporting the adjacent edge of the moistener plate that depression of the latter will cause depression of the former, and a moisture supplying device with which the flap of an envelop may be engaged by depression of said plates.

5. In an envelop moistener and sealer, the combination of a supporting frame, a sealer plate pivotally connected thereto, a depressible moistener plate, arms connecting the sealer plate and moistener plate with their adjacent edges in separated relation, a spring for normally sustaining the edge of the sealer plate above the plane of the moistener plate and permitting the edge of the sealer plate to be depressed by pressure on the moistener plate to bring the supporting surfaces of the two plates into the same plane, and a moisture supplying device over which the flap of an envelop may pass as the envelop is moved over the supporting surfaces of said plates when in the same plane.

6. In an envelop moistener and sealer, the combination of a frame or case, a yieldingly supported sealer plate connected at one edge to said frame or case, a moistener plate adapted to rest at one edge upon said frame, the adjacent edges of said plates being in separated relation, with the edge of the sealer plate above the edge of the moistener plate, and connections between the sealer plate and moistener plate for supporting the adj acent edge of the latter yieldingly by the yieldingly supported sealer plate.

7. In an envelop moistener and sealer, the combination of a frame or case, a yieldingly supported sealer plate, a moistener plate adapted to rest at one edge upon said frame, the adjacent edges of said plates being in separated relation, a moisture supplying device disposed near the opening be tween the adjacent edges of said plates, means for yieldingly sustaining the edge of the sealer plate above the edge of the moistener plate, and connections between the sealer plate and moistener plate for supporting the adjacent edge of the latter yield ingly by the yieldingly supported sealer plate.

8. An envelop moistener and sealer comprising, in combination, a supporting frame, a moisture supplying device, a sealer plate and a moistener plate each supported at one edge by said frame with their adjacent edges in separated relation and with the edge of the sealer plate normally above the plane of the moistener plate, said edge of the sealer plate having a guiding surface to engage and automatically direct the flap of an envelop into the opening between the plates as the envelop is bodily moved on the moistener plate toward the sealer plate, and means connecting the sealer plate with the moistener plate to cause the former to be depressed as the latter is depressed.

9. In a device of the character described, the combination of a case or frame, a sealer plate and a moistener plate supported by said frame or case, said plates being depressible and having their adjacent edges in separated relation with the edge of the sealer plate normally above the edge of the moistener plate, and an arm rigidly connected to one of said plates and jointed to the other of said plates for supporting the adjacent edge of the moistener plate from the sealer plate that depression of the moistener plate may cause depression of the sealer plate as an envelop is moved over said moistener plate.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JONAS NORTHROP.

Witnesses:

FRANK E. Nononoss, CLARE H. DRAPER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

